Laura Berger

The Creative Unconscious:What's your name, age, and professional title? Where are you currently employed?

Laura Berger: My name is Laura Berger, I'm a 37-year old self-employed artist.

TCU: What hobbies do you have outside of your professional field that keep you inspired and motivated to generate personal work? How do they inspire you?

LB: Traveling is huge for me—it widens my lens and gives me new experiences and visual memories to draw from.

TCU:Do you have a hard time balancing being a creative professional and generating personal work that you're proud of?

LB: Even though I'm happy with the amount of work I get to make, balance is of course a challenge for most people who are self-employed. I definitely would like to have more time where I could just solely focus on painting / making work without the feeling of pressure that comes from deadlines, and without the day-to-day management work that comes with working for yourself. But those things also help me to be productive and I'm happy to be able to support myself with my art, so I'm still grateful for all of it.

TCU: What time of day do you feel the most creative? What about the most productive?

LB: I'm definitely a late-night person in both ways—4 pm into post-midnight is best for me.

TCU: What are your creative goals for the future?

LB: I'd like to keep trying new things, improving my techniques and working with less fear, making larger work, and traveling abroad for exhibitions and residencies.

TCU:Are you working on any personal projects right now? If so, can you share a little bit about your inspiration and your creative process?

LB: My next exhibition is a two-person in March at Athen B Gallery with Sarah Bowser so I'm currently working on the body of work for that—a series of new paintings and ceramic sculptures. The show is called Nobody, Everybody and the work is inspired by the way we make meaning, create identity, and how we are energetically connected up with our ancestors and people across the world. The post-election vibe is of course also feeding my work now, as well, especially as a woman.

TCU:What scares you?

LB: Most things, for the first ten minutes. Then I'm ok.

TCU:What does success mean to you?

LB: Being content and at peace inside myself and living with integrity.